UNESCO report exposes Dome of Rock renovation 
UN body condemns Israel for skipping meeting on Mugrahbi Bridge plans; Israel denies knowledge of meeting, blames Jordan.

By MELANIE LIDMAN
June 14, 2012 
JPost	
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=273899 \t _blank http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=273899

  
Israelis got a rare glimpse of the planned renovations at the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site, in a Jordanian report given to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ahead of their conference in Saint Petersburg which starts on June 24.  Because the site is administered by the Muslim Waqf, a body under the auspices of the Jordanian government, it is difficult to discern exactly what work is being conducted.

UNESCO characterizes Jerusalem as its own country, administered by both Israel and Jordan, because the Waqf retains administrative control over the Muslim holy sites while Israel runs the rest of the Old City. Both Jordanians and Israelis submitted their plans and ongoing work in the Old City ahead of the Saint Petersburg conference.

According to the Jordanian Waqf Authorities, workers are restoring the plastering and mosaic decoration inside the Dome of the Rock, laying lead sheet over the roof of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, renovating the Al-Marwani mosque, and renovating the Khanatanyah School and library below the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The report also mentioned the creation of the Center for the Restoration of Islamic Manuscripts of the Haram ash-Sharif, which was funded by Norway for $1.2 million. Saudi Arabia provided $1.3 million in funding for the “safeguarding, refurbishment, and revitalization” of the Islamic Museum of Haram ash-Sharif and its Collection. Haram ash-Sharif is the Arabic name for the Dome of the Rock which means “Noble Sanctuary.”

The UNESCO report also examined Israeli proposals for the Old City, including renovation work on many of the Old City Gates, construction planned for the Western Wall Plaza, and an underground parking garage in the Jewish Quarter. The report slammed Israel for skipping a meeting with Jordanians on April 18 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris to discuss a future plan for the Mugrahbi Bridge. According to the report, Jordan sent three experts associated with the Waqf while Israel refused to attend.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said that Israel was unaware any meeting had taken place, and blamed Jordan for reneging on a memorandum of understanding at the last moment in October of 2011, after an Israeli representative traveled to Amman.

“We’re talking to them, we’re going to deal with this in coordination with UNESCO, this was our position from the beginning,” he said. “It’s the Jordanians who don’t want to work with us. Everything we’ve done was in full transparency and in full coordination with UNESCO.”

Repeated phone calls to the Muslim Waqf in Jerusalem went unanswered.

Additionally, the UNESCO report expressed apprehension about the reconstruction of the Tiferet Israel synagogue, located near the Western Wall, which they claimed could rekindle wide-spread rioting ignited by the Hurva Synagogue’s rededication in March 2010. Stoked by incitement that the rededication of the Hurva was an attempt to destroy the Dome of the Rock, Palestinians called for a “Day of Rage” and rioted across east Jerusalem. Sixty people were arrested, more than 100 protesters were injured, and 15 policemen also sustained injuries in the clashes.

Elad Kandl, the former director of projects in the Old City at the Jerusalem Development Authority, said he was unaware of any projects to renovate the Tiferet Israel synagogue, which was built between 1882-1892 and destroyed by the Arab Legion in 1948.  

Palmor said while he was also unfamiliar with the plan, that UNESCO should not cite riots as a reason to stop construction or conservation of important historical sites. “Just because extremists are threatening with violence every time something displeases them, doesn’t mean UNESCO or anyone else should align themselves with this,” he said. “Extremists should not be allowed veto rights on reconstruction in Jerusalem.”

From June 24 to July 6, UNESCO is holding the 36th session of the Convention Concerning Protecting of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage to discuss heritage sites that are considered “in danger.” The Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls, which includes the Temple Mount and the area around the Old City, has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 1982, just a year after it was inaugurated as a World Heritage Site.

In multiple reports over the past three decades, UNESCO has highlighted that a lack of planning, government, and management, as well as archaeological excavations, are at risk of destroying the “outstanding universal value” of the area.

There are 788 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 35 of which are on the “In Danger” list.